Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-14
PHIL ARMOUR'S PLANS.
HE TELLS A PARSON HOW TO RUN
A SUNDAY SCHOOL MISSION.
The Pork King's Idea Fills the benches
aud the Service IL = Most Interesting
Op~-Th~ Prayers are Made Short-Ths
Mission Non -Sectarian.

and the Service IL . Most Interesting
On~-The Prayers are Made Short-Ths
Mission Non-Sectarian.
When the Armour mission, up on
Thirty third street, was started with $500
OOO endowment. II was hard 10 decide
lust how to manage the religious end OF II.
Joseph Armour had directed in the will by
which ht gave it $l0O,0O0 that il should
he non .ectarian. Phil Armour, who
added + iW 90 TO the original fund, was
altogether opposed To the mission being
ANYTHING but n broad. humanitarian
charity. with plenty Of religion, Of course,
but of that generic sort only which would
be as acceptable to the Romanist as TO the
Methodist, and rs agreeable TO the Epis-
copalian rs to the Baptist The reverend
gentleman who was finally selected To take
charge of the religious welfare OF the in
stitution was given. in general terms, an
idea of this purpose of the founders.
They did not want sectariaaism Of any
kind or degree. Good doctrine from the
Bible, without any theology, was what he
was asked 10 give. He began with en-
ergy. and ran along for some time on his
own idea Of what the little children and
the parents who filed the benches needed.
One day he received a summons To come
down town To the office. He got there
promptly and was beckoned over 10 the
big packers desk. Armour wheeled
around in his chair a couple Of times rs il
To select his vocabulary, looked the man
of God over carefully and then launched
forth his own ideas Of theology.
YOU'RE giving these youngsters too
much grape and canister" he began,
s.H..u nd hri ST. all
right for tn. old sinners, but the mission
isn't for them. Now" he added. with
the same emphasis he'd use To one Of his
Office clerks. Il want You to change around
and try another plan. II you don't, you'll
drive all those children away. When you
begin your service in the morning
you can read a chapter from the Bible.
Then have little prayer, something
short: not longer than that''-measuring
off about foot with his foreiincers.
Then l want you to sing-sing good
many times" he repeated. emphatically.
Then tell n story" he continued, .'some-
thing with a point 10 il and a moral, but
short. Then you can have another little
prayer, but, mind You, not longer than
that'-holding up his hands about six
inches apart this time.
IT FILLED THE BENCHES.
"Mr. Armour" remarked the preacher,
rather iocosely, Il suppose You can run a
packing house, but you don't know much
about religion"
Well said the builder of the mission,
very sharply, will you try it,''
''Oh. yes" was the answer.
Phil Armour's theological scheree has
been in vogue ever since that interview
onl hns f.aan n IIa
every Sunday to the morning chiidren's
service and watches the thing grow.
Don't you mind the old fellows or the
played ont sinners. he constantly adjures
the minister in charge. If YOU see an
old fellow in the gutter even, don't stop,
but keep your eye on the little fellow
ahead. Look out for him"
Armour's theology has filed up the
benches, and they hold 800 people. The
preacher. ever since the sharp interview
at the La Sale street Office, has been
working on the new tack. The service Is
most interesting one. According to
orders, the grown folks are entirely ig-
nored. The whole service Is for the little
ones. The prayers are short-not longer
than Armour indicated with his two fore
fingers. There is singing pretty nearly
all the time. The little fellows are drilled
TO recite verses or TO sing solos. And yet
the benches are almost filled with the pa
rents and grown brothers and sisters Of
the little ones. There are twice as many
at this children's service in the morning
rs in the evening, when a sermon is
preached.
lyon can do what you Ike at night"
Armour told the preacher in an encourag-
ing way after this interview You can
preach a sermon if you like, for I'll never
be there except in the morning. But at
that children's service l want it my way
until see it won't work"
But it did work. The dominic at the
mission now admits that, after all. Phil
Armour knew better what would ill the
benches than a trained theologian. Best
OF all. and this pleases Armour most, all
creeds gather at the mission TO bring or
see the children, hundreds of Catholics
among the Others. York Sun.